ドア
doa[do̞a̠]
The English word 'door' is translated into Japanese in several ways depending on the context. The default form is ドア (doa). Wiktionary also lists 戸 (to) and 扉 (tobira).
Meaning: portal of entry into a building, room or vehicle (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 戸 | to | [to̞] (narrow) [ko̞] (narrow) [he̞] (narrow) |
| 扉 | tobira | [to̞bʲiɾa̠] (narrow) |
| 戸口 | toguchi | [to̞ɡɯ̟t͡ɕi] (narrow) [ko̞ko̞ː] (narrow) |
| ドア | doa | [do̞a̠] (narrow) |
Japanese uses different words for 'door' depending on whether you are referring to a modern object, a traditional structure, a poetic concept or the physical opening itself.
Which one should you use?
ドア is the most common, modern way to refer to a door, often used for cars, houses or office doors. 戸 often refers to traditional Japanese-style doors, such as sliding doors or wooden shutters. 扉 is more poetic or formal and is often used metaphorically, such as 'the door to the heart' or 'the door to a new world'. Finally, 戸口 refers specifically to the physical opening or the threshold of the doorway rather than the moving part itself.
How do you pronounce it?
doa
Did you know?
- The word 戸 is so central to Japanese architecture that it is used as a traditional counter for counting houses, where one 戸 represents one household.
- The word 戸口 refers to the threshold, and in Japanese folklore, this area is often seen as a spiritual boundary where guests must pause before entering.
- The English word 'door' is actually the source for the modern Japanese word ドア, which is written in Katakana to signal its foreign origin.
Examples in context
- 戸を閉めろ。Shut the door.This sentence is useful for practicing the command to shut a 戸.Tatoeba #174533 by wat, translation #38992 by CK
- ドア閉めて。Close the door.This sentence is useful for practicing the request to close a ドア.Tatoeba #4804656 by tommy_san, translation #405379 by brauliobezerra
- 半ドアだよ。Your door isn't closed.This sentence is useful for describing a door that is not fully latched using the form ドア.Tatoeba #11883259 by small_snow, translation #12303649 by CK
- Person A: 隣の部屋、ドア開けてくれない？ Person B: ああ、いいよ。Person A: Can you open the door to the next room? Person B: Yeah, sure.
- Person A: ドアの前で待っていてくれる？ Person B: 分かった、入口で待ってるよ。Person A: Will you wait in front of the door? Person B: Okay, I'll wait at the entrance.
- 605 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Yota are in their apartment.
- 結衣 Yuiこのドア、少し重いね。Kono doa, sukoshi omoi ne.This door is a bit heavy, isn't it?
- 陽太 Yota本当だ。開けにくいね。Hontou da. Akenikui ne.You're right. It's hard to open.
- 結衣 Yui陽太、もう少し強く押して。Youta, mou sukoshi tsuyoku oshite.Yota, please push it a little harder.
- 陽太 Yotaわかった。よし、開いたよ。Wakatta. Yoshi, aita yo.Okay. There, it opened.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “door” translations and entries 戸, 扉, 戸口, ドア, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
